John Terry may have signed a new contract, but could the Nigerian offer him some competition in the heart of the defence?
Should Mikel remain at Chelsea—and rumours persist that he’s bound for the exit door—could he be a candidate to replace Terry's declining influence both on and off the pitch?
With regards to his off-field influence, Mikel is the club’s longest-serving player behind Terry by some distance.
He joined the Blues in 2006, and following the exits of stalwarts such as Frank Lampard and Petr Cech, is the last survivor of the club’s FA Cup-winning side of 2007.
Indeed, only Gary Cahill remains—as well as Mikel—from the 14 players who featured in the Champions League final of 2012 when the west Londoners beat Bayern Munich on penalties to win the capital’s first-ever European Cup.
Alongside Terry, Mikel is the last-standing lieutenant of Jose Mourinho’s first tenure at the club, and could well command significant dressing room authority, particularly in light of the changing face of the club.
But what role can Mikel expect to play on the pitch under Conte?
-GOAL.COM
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